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Thoracic Trauma

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Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

Abstract

Thoracic injuries in children are commonly the result of blunt trauma, making the diagnosis of internal thoracic injury more difficult. Unidentified injuries can cause significant morbidity and mortality and must be identified early. Injuries to the pulmonary parenchyma are the most common and the most benign. Significant injuries to the chest require a high index of suspicion, though they are rare. Understanding the major physiologic differences between children and adults is important to adequately manage children with thoracic injuries. The following review provides salient points in the recognition and management of thoracic injuries in children from blunt trauma.

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Correspondence to David P. Mooney MD, MPH .

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag London

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Gutierrez, I.M., Mooney, D.P. (2014). Thoracic Trauma. In: Wheeler, D., Wong, H., Shanley, T. (eds) Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6359-6_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6359-6_16

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